Apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns



Oct. 29, 1968 OSAMU HASAEGAWA 3,407,589

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARIOUS FANCY TWISTED YARNS Filed Dec. 16. 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR BY may? 9:

ATTORNEY Oct. 29, 1968 CSA'MU HASEGAWA APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARIOUS FANCY TWISTED YARNS Filed Dc. 16, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR zzkwmm ATTORNEY Oct. 29, 1968 OSAMU HASEGAWA 3,407,589

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARIOUS FANCY TWISTED YARNS Filed Dec. 16, 1 966 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARIOUS FANCY TWISTED YARNS 16, 1966 Oct. 29, 1968 'OSAMU HASEGAWA 4 Sheets-Sheet 4- Filed Dec.

RA? 2PM l Re/ R92 INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,407,589 APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING VARIOUS FANCY TWISTED YARNS Osamu Hasegawa, Konan-shi, Japan, assignor to Kyoritsu Machinery Works Ltd., Nagoya, Japan, a corporation of Japan Filed Dec. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 602,272 Claims priority, application Japan, Sept. 14, 1966, 41/ 60,926 4 Claims. (Cl. 5791) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns by changing rotating speeds of a plurality of yarn feed rollers during operation. A control means for energizing or deenergizing electromagnetic clutches and electromagnetic brakes disposed in power transmission paths for driving said yarn feed rollers is provided. A fancy pattern carrier provided with differential drive is associated with said control means.

This invention relates to fancy twisting machines and more particularly to novel apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns by suitably changing over the rotating speeds of yarn feed rollers during operation to vary the speeds of respective yarns being fed from these yarn feed rollers for thereby obtaining fancy twisted yarns of various kinds and shapes.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided an apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns which comprises a driving shaft, a plurality of yarn feed rollers each adapted to be driven at a variable speed by said driving shaft through at least one power transmission path including a suitable combination of gears, an electromagnetic clutch disposed in said power transmission path to said respective yarn feed roller, and through an electromagnetic brake connected with said respective yarn feed roller, means operative in certain interengaging relation with respect to the operation of said driving shaft for urging a fancy pattern carrier to one of its standard movement and its differential movement for thereby setting up a desired fancy pattern on fancy twisted yarns in cooperation with the below-mentioned means, and operation control means for suitably energizing or deenergizing said electromagnetic clutches and electromagnetic brakes for thereby urging each of said yarn feed rollers independently to cause rotation of variously selected speeds and stoppage of rotation.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showing in a developed fashion the manner of driving connection between a driving shaft and yarn feed rollers through electromagnetic clutches in one embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional view of a differential gearing associated with the driving system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the differential gearing of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing one form of electrical connection employed for use in combination with the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one form of a flat belt employed in the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing the relation between light projectors and receivers in the apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of an example of a fancy twisted yarn obtained by use of the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a driving shaft 9 is adapted to be rotated by a motor (not shown) through a suitable gearing (not shown). The driving system for a front roller 12 includes two electromagnetic clutches PR and FH which are not adapted to be simultaneously energized so that the driving force of the driving shaft 9 is transmitted to the front roller 12 through a gear train U and the electromagnetic clutch FR when the clutch FR is energized, while the driving force of the driving shaft 9 is transmitted to the front roller 12 through the electro magnetic clutch FH and a gear train W when the clutch FH is energized. The front roller 12 is, however, brought to a stop when an electromagnetic brake PE is energized. The driving system for a back roller 13 also includes two electromagnetic clutches BR and BH which are not adapted to be simultaneously energized so that the driving force of the driving shaft 9 is transmitted to the back roller 13 through a gear 10, gear 11, gear train R and electromagnetic clutch BR when the clutch BR is energized, while the driving force of the driving shaft 9 is transmitted to the back roller 13 through the gear 10, gear 11, electromagnetic clutch BH and gear train S when the clutch BH is energized. The back roller 13 is also brought to stop when an electromagnetic brake BB is energized. Further, by disengaging the gear train S from its driving connection with the back roller 13 and bringing it into meshing engagement with a gear train T, the driving force of the driving shaft 9 is now transmitted to a middle roller 14 through the gear 10', gear 11, electromagnetic clutch BH and gear train T when the clutch BH is energized, and the middle roller 14 is brought to stop when an electromagnetic brake MB is energized. Top rollers 55, 56 and 57 in FIG. 1 are commonly conventionally known pressure rollers which are brought into peripheral contact with the respective front roller 12, back roller 13 and middle roller 14 for imparting contact pressure to yarns being fed therefrom for thereby feeding such yarn lengths which correspond to the peripheral speeds of the respective rollers.

With the above arrangement, gear ratios of the gear trains U, W, R, S and T may be suitably selected to rotate the front roller 12, back roller 13 and middle roller 14 at speeds different from one another for thereby changing the speeds of respective yarns fed from these rollers to obtain a fancy twisted yarn. In connection with the above manner of making fancy twisted yarns, an undesirable phenomenon generally called the patterning may sometimes arise when such fancy twisted yarns are formed into woven fabrics or knitted goods due to the periodicity of spacings between fancy portions on the fancy twisted yarns. Since these fancy portions are preferably spaced a sufiicient distance from each other and sparsely disposed it is necessary in order to eliminate the above defect to dispose these fancy portions in randomly spaced relation.

In order to provide such randomly spaced fancy portions on a fancy twisted yarn, operation control means is provided in the apparatus of the invention so that this operation control means can cause controlled drive of a fancy pattern carrier or perforated fiat belt through a differential gearing. More precisely, a crank disc 15 is firmly fixed to the gear 11 and has a groove 16 of T- shaped cross section on the outer face thereof for slidably receiving therein a pin 18 which can be fixed in a suitable position in the groove 16 by a fastening nut 17 so as to adjust the degree of eccentricity of the pin 18. A sprocket Wheel 20 and a bushing 19 are firmly secured on the pin 18 so that they are not rotatable on the pin 18.

A connecting rod 21 is loosely mounted at opposite ends thereof on the bushing 19 and a swinging pin 22 so as to establish a predetermined inter-axial distance between the crank disc pin 18 and the swinging pin 22 and at the same time to transmit the crank motion to a swinging arm 23. A sprocket chain 25 is trained about the sprocket wheel 20 and a sprocket wheel 24 firmly mounted on the swinging pin 22, on one end of which a gear 26 is firmly mounted. A gear 27 in meshing engagement with the gear 26 is firmly mounted on one end of a pin 28 forming a pivot point of the swinging arm 23, and an electromagnetic clutch 29 is mounted on the other end of the pin 28. It will be seen that when the electromagnetic clutch 29 is energized, rotation of the gear 27 is transmitted to a pin 30 which causes successive rotation of gears 31 and 32. Rotation by the shaft 33 of the gear 32 finally drives a driving pulley 38 for a flat belt 37 by way of gears 34, 35 and 36.

On the other hand, a sprocket wheel 40 is firmly mounted on a shaft 39 having the crank disc 15 mounted thereon, and a sprocket chain 43 is trained about the sprocket wheel 40 and a driven sprocket wheel 42 firmly mounted on one end of a shaft 41 so as to transmit the rotation of the shaft 39 to the shaft 41. An electromagnetic clutch 44 is mounted on the other end of the shaft 41 so that when the electromagnetic clutch 44 is energized, the rotation of the sprocket wheel 42 can be transmitted by way of the shaft 33 and gears 34, 35 and 36 to the drive pulley 38 for the flat belt 37 to rotate the same. It is to be understood that the electromagnetic clutches 29 and 44 are disposed in an electric circuit in a manner that they operate relatively to each other. In other words, arrangement is made so that the electromagnetic clutch 44 is deenergized when the electromagnetic clutch 29 is driven to its energized state while the electromagnetic clutch 29 is deenergized when the electromagnetic clutch 44 is driven to its energized state.

In the differential gearing having the structure as described above, a force of rotation imparted to the gear 11 causes rotation of the crank disc 15 fixed thereto. It will be apparent that the pin 18 makes a planetary movement about the axis A of the crank disc 15 when the axis B of the pin 18 is not in alignment with the axis of the crank disc 15, that is, the pin 18 is mounted on the crank disc 15 with the axis B of the former staggered a certain distance from the axis A of the latter. In this case, the sprocket wheel 20 is rotated integrally with the gear 11 due to the fact that the sprocket wheel 20 is firmly mounted on the pin 18. Therefore the rotation of the sprocket wheel 20 is transmitted through the sprocket chain 25 to the sprocket wheel 24 and thence through the swinging pin 22 to the gear 26. The force of rotation transmitted to the gear 26 rotates the pulley 38 by way of the gear 27, electromagnetic clutch 29 and gears 31, 32, 34, 35 and 36.

On the other hand, since the pin 18 is making the planetary movement with respect to the axis A of the crank disc 15, the planetary movement of the pin 18 is transmitted through the connecting rod 21 to the swinging arm 23 to cause a rocking movement of the arm 23 about the pin 28. Thus the swinging arm 23 makes a rocking movement, as shown by arrow D in FIG. 3, which is determined by the degree of eccentricity of the axis B of the pin 18 with respect to the axis A of the crank disc 15. It is apparent that the swinging arm 23 ceases to make any such rocking movement when both the axes A and B are disposed in alignment with each other. It is also apparent that when such rocking movement is imparted to the swinging arm 23, the amount of this rocking movement is added to the fixed rotation of the gear 26 so that the resultant rotation of the gear 26 is transmitted to the gear 27 in a differential fashion. More precisely, when the swinging arm 23 swings in a direction the same as the direction of rotation of the driven gear 27 driven by the gear 26, the gear 27 is rotated at a speed which is the rotating speed of the gear 26 plus the speed of swing of the swinging arm 23. When on the contrary the swinging arm 23 swings in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the driven gear 27, the gear 27 is rotated at a speed which is the rotating speed of the gear 26 minus the speed of the swing of the swinging arm 23. The gear 27 is repeatedly subjected to rotation in such a differential fashion and the differential movement is transmitted to the drive pulley 38 to drive the same.

A driven pulley 46 is rotatably mounted at an upper part of a bracket 45, and the fiat belt 37 is trained about the drive pulley 38 and the driven pulley 46. The fiat belt 37 has formed thereon a plurality of rows of slots 47 of different lengths corresponding to the desired pattern of fancy twisted yarns. A plurality of light projectors 1, 3, 5 and 7 and a plurality of light receivers 2, 4, 6 and 8 are disposed on opposite sides of the path of the flat belt 37 in manner that the respective light projectors face the corresponding light receivers so that the light from the light projectors reaches the opposite light receivers when the slots 47 pass therebetween and the light is intercepted and can not reach the light receivers when the slots 47 have passed away therefrom. Opening or closing of relay contacts by the operation of the above light projectors and receivers causes, in an electric circuit as shown in FIG. 4, energization or deenergization of the electromagnetic clutches and electromagnetic brakes for thereby causing the yarn feed rollers to rotate at variable speed. More precisely, necessary slots 47 and perforated through the flat belt 37 in accordance with a predetermined program for a particular fancy twisted yarn to be manufactured and when these slots 47 move past any of the pairs of light projectors and receivers 1, 2; 3, 4; 5, 6; and 7, 8 the light sensed by the sensing portion of the light receiver acts to switch over the associated contact in the electric circuit in FIG. 4, and the contact is kept in its operating state for a time corresponding to the length of the particular slot. Where a slot of relatively large length is required, a slot of short length may be perforated in lieu of the slot of large length and a self-holding, circuit means operative in response to reception of light through such slot may be provided in the electric circuit. In this latter case, the self-holding circuit means is urged to its operating state when the light is received by the light receiver, remains in its operating state even when the light is intercepted, and is restored to its inoperative state in response to subsequent reception of light by the light receiver due to appearance of a succeeding slot of also short length.

The manner in which a desired fancy twisted yarn is manufactured by the variable rotation of the yarn feed rollers under control of the operation control means will be described in detail hereunder.

In a preferred form of circuitry as shown in FIG. 4, a movable contact member P of an electric circuit selecting switch F for the front roller 12 is, for example brought into contact with a stationary contact b to form an electric circuit for the front roller 12, while a movable contact member Q of an electric circuit selecting switch B for the back roller 13 is, for example, brought into contact with a stationary, contact d to form an electric circuit for the back roller 13. In the description given herein, that contact of a relay which makes or closes when the electromagnetic coil of the relay is energized is referred to as an A contact, while the contact of the relay which breaks or opens when the electromagnetic coil of the relay is energized is referred to as a B contact. For the sake of distinction, such B contact is illustrated in FIG. 4 by affixing an oblique line thereto.

Suppose now that any one of the slots 47 on the fiat belt 37 is not present in the path of light from the light projectors to the light receivers, that is, the light emitted from the light projectors is entirely intercepted by the non-slotted portions of the flat belt 37. Then as will be apparent from the circuitry shown in FIG. 4, current flows through the movable contact member P and stationary contact b of circuit selecting switch F and through the B contact of relay R24 to the electromagnetic clutch PR to energize the same, while current also flows through the movable contact member at and stationary contact d of circuit selecting switch B, through the B contact of relay R27 and through the B contact of relay R23 to the electromagnetic clutch BR to energize the same. Since in this case the electromagnetic clutches FR and BR are solely energized, the front roller 12 and the back roller 13 are rotated by way of the power transmission paths including the respective electromagnetic clutches FR and BR. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, suppose that the gears '10 and 11 have the same number of teeth, and the gear trains R and U also have the same number of teeth. Then the front roller 12 and the back roller 13 rotate at the same speed through the above-described paths of power transmission. Assume then that the rotating speed of these rollers driven through the above power transmission paths is a standard speed. Then the front roller 12 and the back roller 13 are feeding respective yarns at the standard speed to produce an ordinary twisted portion 48 as shown in FIG. 7.

Then when a slot 47 appears in the path of light between the light projector 7 and the light receiver 8, the relay R24 is energized. Energization of the relay R24 results in deenergization of the electromagnetic clutch PR for the front roller 12 and energization of the electromagnetic clutch FH. That is, the energization of the relay Re4 completes a circuit from the movable contact member P of circuit selecting switch F through the stationary contact b of switch F and through the A contact of relay R24 to the electromagnetic clutch FH to energize the same. Therefore, the standard speed power transmission path for the front roller 12 is disconnected and the front roller 12 is now driven by way of the power transmission path including the electromagnetic clutch FH. Due to the fact that the gear ratio of the gear train W is so selected as to deliver an increased speed, the front roller 12 feeds the yarn at an increased speed whereas the back roller 13 is feeding the yarn at the standard speed described previously. As a result, an excess portion of the yarn fed from the front roller 12 twines about the yarn fed from the back roller 13 to thereby produce a fancy portion 49 as shown in FIG. 7. The relay Re4 is deenergized when the slot 47 on the flat belt 37 has passed away from the path of light between the light projector 7 and the light receiver 8 and the light path is again intercepted. Deenergization of the relay Re4 results in re-ene'rgization of the electromagnetic clutch PR and deenergization of the electromagnetic clutch FH, and the front roller 12 is again caused to rotate at its standard speed from the previous high speed to produce a succeeding ordinary twisted portion 48 in cooperation with the back roller 13.

A relay R23 is energized when a slot 47 appears in the path of light between the light projector 5 and the light receiver 6 and acts to deenergize the electromagnetic clutch BR and energize the electromagnetic clutch BH. That is, energization of the relay Re3 energizes the electromagnetic clutch BH through the movable contact member Q and stationary contact at of circuit selecting switch B for the back roller 13, through the B contact of relay Re7 and through the A contact of relay R23. Therefore, the standard speed power transmission path for the back roller 13 is disconnected and the back roller 13 is now driven by way of the power transmission path including the electromagnetic clutch BH. Due to the fact that the gear ratio of the gear train 5 is so selected as to deliver an increased speed, the back roller 13 feeds the yarn at an increased speed whereas the front roller 12 is feeding the yarn at its standard speed. As a result, an excess portion of the yarn fed from the back roller 13 twines about the yarn fed from the front roller 12 to thereby produce a fancy portion 50 as shown in FIG. 7.

The relay R23 is deenergized when the slot 47 on the flat belt 37 has passed away from the path of light between the light projector 5 and the light receiver 6 and the light path is again intercepted. Deenergization of the relay R23 results in re-energization of the electromagnetic clutch BR and deenergization of, the electromagnetic clutch BH, and the back roller 13 is again caused to rotate at its standard speed from the previous high speed to produce a succeeding ordinary twisted portion 48 in cooperation with the front roller 12.

Then when a slot 47 appears in the path of light between the light projector 3 and the light receiver 4, a relay Re2 is nergized to energize the relay R27 in turn. Therefore, current flows through the movable contact member Q and stationary contact d of circuit selecting switch B for the back roller 13 and through the A contact of energized relay R27 to the electromagnetic brake BB to energize the same, and at the same time the electromagnetic clutch BR having been energized through the B contact of relay R27 is urged to its deenergized state. The electromagnetic brake BB imparts the brake action to the back roller 13 to stop the roller 13 and to thereby stop the feed of the yarn from th back roller 13. As a result, the yarn being continuously fed from the front roller 12 rotating at the standard Speed described previously twines about the stationary core yarn from the back roller 13 to produce a fancy portion 51 as shown in FIG. 7. Such Operation cycle is repeated to produce a fancy twisted yarn having various fancy portions thereon.

The middle roller 14 is provided primarily for the purpose of making a fancy twisted yarn generally called a slub yarn and is used to feed slivers therefrom. In such a case, the gear train S in the high speed transmission path for the back roller 13 is disconnected from the previous engagement with the back roller drive system and is now brought into meshing engagement with the gear train T. In other words the drive force transmitted through the electromagnetic clutch BH drives the middle roller 14 by way of the gear trains S and T. In the case of th middle roller 14, the high speed transmission path used for the driving of the back roller 13 can not be utilized and the sole power transmission path is that at the standard speed so that the middle roller 14 can take one of the two positions, that is, rotation at the standard speed and no rotation. The middle roller 14 is arranged so that it rotates when the electromagnetic clutch BH is energized and the rotation thereof is stopped when the electromagnetic clutch BH is deenergized and the electromagnetic brake MB energized. In the electric circuit associated with the middle roller 14, a circuit selecting switch M for the middle noller 14 may be set at its contact 1) position so that operation of the relay R23 associated with the light projector 5 and the light receiver 6 can cause energization and deenergization of the electromagnetic clutch BH and the electromagnetic brake MB. The light projector 1 and the light receiver 2 are used, for example, in cooperation with the front roller circuit selecting switch F when the latter is set at its contact 0 position. In such a case it will be readily seen that energization of a relay R21 by the light received by the light receiver 2 will energize a relay ReS which will in turn energize the electromagnetic brake FB to stop the rotation of the front roller 12.

Although, in one example described above, description has been given with respect to the case of obtaining the standard speed by selecting the same number of teeth for both the gear trains R and U, it will be understood that the gear ratios of these gear trains may be suitably varied so that one of the rollers rotates at higher speed, while the other rotates at lower speed. Further, an electric circuit may be added to the circuitry as shown depending on the kind of fancy twisted yarns to be manufactured. If desired, the circuitry may be simplified to suit the kind of fancy twisted yarns to be maufactured.

In the embodiment described above, the circuit selecting switches F, B and M are provided so as to suitably vary the circuit structure depending on the kind of fancy twisted yarns to be manufactured. These switches have a structure similar to that of switches of the type generally called rotary switches or cam switches and are so constructed that turning of a knob on each switch urges two movable contact members in case of the circuit selecting switch F, three movable contact members in case of the switch B, and four movable contact members in case of the switch M into simultaneous contact with the station ary contacts of same symbol. These stationary contacts a, b, c, d and e have their predetermined functions. When, for example, the circuit selecting switch F is set at its contact a position in FIG. 4, the electromagnetic clutch FR is directly energized and is free from any instructions or signals that may be given from the light projectors and receivers. In case the circuit selecting switch F is set at its contact b position, the electromagnetic clutch PR is energized through the B contact of relay Re4 and is deenergized in response to energization of the relay R24 by the arrival of light from the light projector 5 at the light receiver 6 so that the electromagnetic clutch FH can now be energized through the A contact of relay Re4. In case the circuit selecting switch F is set at its contact c position, the electromagnetic switch FR is energized through the B contact of relay ReS and is deenergized in response to energization of the relay Rel and resultant energization of the relay Re5 by the arrival of light from the light projector 1 at the light receiver 2 so that the electromagnetic brake FB can now be energized through the A contact of relay ReS. In case the switch F is set at its contact d position, the electromagnetic clutch FR is energized through the B contact of relay R25 and through the B contact of relay Re4. Arrival of light from the light projector 7 at the light receiver 8 energizes the relay Re4 and deenergizes the electromagnetic clutch FR so that the electromagnetic clutch FH can now be energized through the A contact of relay R24. Further, arrival of light from the light projector 1 at the light receiver 2 energizes the relay Rel and then the relay ReS, and due to the breaking of the B contact of relay ReS, the energized electromagnetic clutch FR or FH is deenergized so that the electromagnetic brake FB can now be energized through the A contact of relay R25. In case the circuit selecting switch F is set at its contact e position, the circuit selecting switches M and B are generally set at their contact a position and contact e position, respectively. More precisely, the switch F is energizing the electromagnetic clutch FR through the B contact of relay Re6, while the switch B is energizing the electromagnetic clutch BH through the B contact of relay Re6. Arrival of light from the light projector 1 at the light receiver 2 energizes the relay Rel and then the relay Re6 so that the electromagnetic clutches FR and BH are deenergized and the electromagnetic clutches FH and BR are now energized through the A contacts of relay Re6. Thus the back roller 13 rotates at a speed higher than the standard speed when the front roller 12 rotates at the standard speed, and the front roller 12 rotates at a speed higher than the standard speed when the back roller 13 rotates at the standard speed.

The circuit structure associated with the circuit selecting switch B will be nextly described with regard to a case in which the circuit selecting switch M is set at its contact a position. In case the circuit selecting switch B is set at its a position, the electromagnetic clutch BR is directly energized and is free from any instructions or signals that may be given from the light projectors and receivers. In case the circuit selecting switch B is set at its contact b position, the electromagnetic clutch BR is energized through the B contact of relay Re3 and further through the movable contact member of circuit selecting switch M. Arrival of light from the light projector 5 at the light receiver 6 energizes the relay R03 and deenergizes the electromagnetic clutch BR so that the electromagnetic clutch BH can now be energized through the A contact of relay Re3. In case the circuit selecting switch B is set at its contact 0 position, the electromagnetic clutch ER is energized through the B contact of relay Re7. Arrival of light from the light projector 3 at the light receiver 4 energizes the relay Re2 and then the relay Re7 so that the electromagnetic clutch BR is deenergized and the electromagnetic brake BB can now be energized through the A contact of relay Re7. In case the switch B is set at its contact d position, the electromagnetic clutch BR is energized through the B contact of relay Re7, through the B contact of relay Re3 and through the movable contact member of circuit selecting switch M. Arrival of light from the light projector 5 at the light receiver 6 energizes the relay Re3 and deenergizes the electromagnetic clutch BR so that the electromagnetic clutch BH is energized through the A contact of relay Re3. Further, arrival of light from the light projector 3 at the light receiver 4 energizes the relay R22 and then the relay Re7, and due to breaking of the B contact of relay Re7, the energized electromagnetic clutch BH or BR is deenergized so that the electromagnetic brake BB can now be energized through the A contact of relay R27.

The circuit structure associated with the circuit selecting switch B will be nextly described with regard to a case in which the circuit selecting switch M is set at its contact b position. In case the circuit selecting switch B is set at its contact a position, the electromagnetic clutch BR is directly energized and the electromagnetic brake MB is also energized through the B contact of relay R23 and through the movable contact member of circuit selecting switch M. Therefore the electromagnetic clutch BR is free from any instructions or signals that may be given from the light projectors and receivers. Arrival of light from the light projector 5 at the light receiver 6 energizes the relay Re3 and deenergizes the electromagnetic brake MB so that the electromagnetic clutch BH can now be energized through the A Contact of relay Re3. In case the circuit selecting switch B is set at its contact c position, the electromagnetic clutch BR is energized through the B contact of relay Re7 and the electromagnetic brake MB is also energized through the contact b of circuit selecting switch M, through the B contact of relay Re3 and through the other contact b of circuit selecting switch M. Arrival of light from the light projector 3 at the light receiver 4 energizes the relay R22 and then the relay Re7 so that the electromagnetic clutch BR is deenergized and the electromagnetic brake BB can now be energized through the A contact of relay Re7. Further, arrival of light from the light projector 5 at the light receiver 6 energizes the relay Re3 which deenergizes the electromagnetic brake MB so that the electromagnetic clutch BH can now be energized through the A contact of relay Re3. Moreover the circuit structure is such that, when the circuit selecting switch M is set at its contact b position in this manner, both the electromagnetic clutch BR and the electromagnetic brake BB cannot be energized even if the circuit selecting switch B might be set at any of the contact positions I), d and e.

Suppose now that the slots 47 are perforated in an equally longitudinally spaced relationship through the flat belt 37, then the light projectors and the corresponding light receivers 1 to 8 will also operate at intervals of a certain predetermined time. However, when the pulley 38 makes a differential rotation, the flat belt 37 also moves at a differential speed, that is, the moving speed of the fiat belt 37 is rendered non-uniform. Accordingly in spite of the fact that the slots 47 are perforated in longitudinally equally spaced relation, the operating times of the light projectors and the corresponding light receivers 1 to 8 are not uniform. The above manner of operation may sometimes be objectionable depending on the kind of fancy twisted yarns because the above nonuniform relationship provides random spacings between fancy portions on a specific fancy twisted yarn and at the same time affects the shape of these fancy portions.

In order to deal with such requirement, according to the present invention, operation may be carried out such that the electromagnetic clutch 29 is deenergized and the electromagnetic clutch 44 is energized during such time in which a signal is being issued ordering the provision of a fancy portion on a fancy twisted yarn. In such a case, the standard transmission path comprising the sprocket wheel 40, sprocket chain 43 and sprocket wheel 42 is used to drive the flat belt drive pulley 38 through the electromagnetic clutch 44 and gears 34, 35 and 36. The rotating speed of the pulley 38 when it is driven through the standard transmission path is so selected as to equal the speed thereof when no differential movement is transmitted thereto through the differential transmission path comprising the sprocket wheel 20, sprocket chain 25, sprocket wheel 24, gears 26 and 27, electromagnetic clutch 29, and gears 31, 32, 34, 35 and 36, that is, in the case in which the axis B of the pin 18 is in registration with the axis A of the crank disc 15.

The flat belt 37 can be driven in different ways by suitable actuation of selecting switches A and C shown in the circuitry of FIG. 4. Such different modes of belt drive include a case in which the belt 37 is driven without any use of the differential transmission path, a case in which the belt 37 is driven through the differential transmission path throughout the operation cycle including the provision of fancy portions, and a case in which the difierential transmission path is bypassed in driving the belt 37 when a signal is issued ordering the provision of a fancy portion.

The relative operation of these electromagnetic clutches 29 and 44 will be explained with reference to the electric circuit associated therewith. Any one of the relays associated with the light receivers 2, 4, 6 and 8 is energized when the light from any one of the corresponding light projectors 1, 3, and 7 is received by such light receiver due to the fact that a slot 47 on the fiat belt 37 appears between the light projector and receiver pair. Suppose for example that the slot 47 appears between the pair of light projector 1 and light receiver 2. Then the relay Rel is energized to energize in turn a relay Re8 so that the electromagnetic clutch 29 having been energized through the B contact of relay Re8 is deenergized and closure of the A contact of relay R28 now energizes the electromagnetic clutch 44. The selecting switches A and C described previously are suitably changed over depending on the desired purpose. The circuit structure is such that where it is desired to drive the pulley 38 without any use of the differential transmission path, closure of the selecting switch C can maintain the relay Re8, hence the electromagnetic clutch 44 in its energized state and thus the flat belt 37 can be driven without any use of the differential transmission path. It is further so arranged that opening of the selecting switches A and C results in that the relay Re8 would nOt be energized even if any one of the relays Rel, Re2, R23 and Re4 is urged to its energized position. In such a case, due to the fact that the e ectromagnetic clutch 29 is continuously energized, the flat belt 37 is driven through the differential transmission means throughout the whole operation cycle including the pro vision of fancy portions. Then when the selecting switch C is urged to its open position and the selecting switch A to its closed position, the relay Re8 can be energized in response to energization of any one of the relays Rel, Re2, R23 and Re4, with the result that the electromagnetic clutch 29 is deenergized and the electromagnetic clutch 44 is energized. Accordingly, the differential transmission means is bypassed in driving the belt 37 when a signal is issued ordering the provision of a fancy portion.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a novel apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns in which a unique operation control means is provided to give a suitable combination of varying speeds of rotation of the front roller 12, back roller 13 and middle roller 14 for thereby making it possible to make fancy twisted yarns of various kinds and shapes as desired.

Fancy twisted yarn making apparatus heretofore employed in the art have invariably included therein a cam mechanism in which cam means is caused to rotate to impart a rocking movement to a yarn guide rod for thereby making fancy twisted yarns. The conventional cam mechanism has been limited in its variety of types and could not have been rotated at high speed due to the fact that it is associated with the member which makes the rocking movement.

However by virtue of the provision of the electrically operated operation control means in the apparatus of the present invention, a variety of new fancy twisted yarns of the kind which could not be manufactured with prior fancy twisted yarn making apparatus can be easily manufactured by the apparatus of the invention. It will be understood that the variety of fancy twisted yarns made by the apparatus of the invention will be almost limitless, and the trouble-free and smooth-moving mechanism ensures a high speed operation over a long service life. Moreover, mere selection of fiat belts having various kinds of slots perforated therethrough can determine the spacings between fancy portions on fancy twisted yarns as desired, and the interposition of the differential transmission path can give random spacings between such fancy portions on fancy twisted yarns, thus eliminating the necessity of any effort to avoid the undesirable phenomenon which is commonly called the patterning that may be encountered during the later weaving or knitting step.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns comprising a driving shaft, a plurality of yarn feed rollers each adapted to be driven at a variable speed by said driving shaft through at least one power transmission path including a suitable combination of gears, an electromagnetic clutch disposed in said power transmission path to said respective yarn feed roller and through an electromagnetic brake connected with said respective yarn feed roller, means operative in certain interengaging relation with respect to the operation of, said driving shaft for urging a fancy pattern carrier to one of its standard movement and its differential movement for thereby setting up a desired fancy pattern on fancy twisted yarns in cooperation with the below-mentioned means, and operation control means for suitably energizing or deenergizing said electromagnetic clutches and electromagnetic brakes for thereby urging each of said yarn feed rollers independently to cause rotation of variously selected speeds and stoppage of rotation.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns according to claim 1, in which said means operative in certain interengaging relation with respect to the operation of said driving shaft comprises a driven gear in meshing engagement with a driving gear mounted on said driving shaft, means for urging said fancy pattern carrier to its differential movement, said means including a crank disc firmly secured to said driven gear, said crank disc having on its outer face a groove of T-shaped cross section, a pin slidably received in said. groove on said crank disc, a first sprocket wheel firmly fixed to said pin, a connecting rod loosely mounted at one end thereof on said pin through a bushing so that the degree of eccentricity of said end of said connecting rod with respect to the axis of said crank disc is adjustable from zero to a suitable valve, a swinging arm mounted on a swinging pin in coaxial relation with the other end of said connecting rod so that the crank movement resulting from the force of rotation imparted to said driven gear is transmitted through said connecting rod to said swinging arm for thereby causing said swinging arm to make a rocking movement corresponding to the degree of eccentricity described above, a second sprocket wheel firmly mounted on said swinging pin and arranged to be rotated by a sprocket chain trained about it and said first sprocket wheel which rotates in integral relation with said crank disc, and a train of gears disconnectably connected between said second sprocket wheel and a fancy pattern carrier drive pulley through an electromagnetic clutch for imparting diiferential rotation to said pulley, and means for urging said fancy pattern carrier to its standard movement, said means including a third sprocket wheel disposed in coaxial relation with said crank disc, a fourth sprocket wheel arranged to be driven from said third sprocket wheel by a sprocket chain trained thereabout, and a train of gears disconnectably connected between said fourth sprocket wheel and said fancy pattern carrier drive pulley through an electromagnetic clutch for imparting standard rotation to said pulley.

3. An apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns according to claim 1, in which said fancy pattern carrier is a flat belt trained about a driving pulley and a driven pulley and has a plurality of kinds of slots perforated therethrough, and said operation control means comprises a plurality of pairs of light projectors and light receivers disposed opposite to each other in a manner that the light emitted from said light projectors is allowed to reach or intercepted from reaching the opposite light receivers by the presence or absence of the slots as said flat belt moves between said light projectors and receivers, and means operative in response to reception and nonreception of the light by said light receivers to energize and deenergize said electromagnetic clutches and electromagnetic brakes for thereby imparting variable rotations to said yarn feed rollers.

4. An apparatus for manufacturing various fancy twisted yarns according to claim 3, in which said operation control means further comprises a plurality of circuit selecting switches which are suitably changed over to a plurality of positions to establish the operating sequence of said electromagnetic clutches and electromagnetic brakes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,946,941 2/1934 Leonard 5791 2,622,282 12/1952 Hare 57-38.3 XR 2,810,165 10/1957 Dunn et al 5791XR 2,881,585 4/1959 Miiller 57-91 2,923,120 2/1960 Bush et al 5791 XR 2,962,771 12/1960 Safley 57-38.3 XR 2,976,105 3/1961 Rose et al.

3,262,177 7/1966 Cobb et a1 57-91 XR 3,299,434 1/1967 McNancy 250219 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 1,281,544 12/1961 France.

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

D. E. WATKINS, Assistant Examiner. 

